RCD1, which protects plant cells from running into cell death, is allelic to RIMB1, which we have shown previously (Heiber et al., 2007) to be essential for full activation of genes for components of the chloroplast antioxidant system, such as peroxiredoxins and ascorbate peroxidases, and for biosynthesis of the glutathione and phytochelatin precursor gamma-glutamyl cysteine. In “Frontiers in Plant Science” we propose a regulatory circuitry in which RCD1 maintains plant cell vitality by stabilizing the redox-sensitive transcription factor Rap2.4a in activation of genes for chloroplast antioxidant enzymes based on gene expression and protein-protein-interaction studies and discuss rcd1-phenotypes in context of regulation of the chloroplast antioxidant system.

For more details: Hiltscher et al. (2014) Frontiers in Plant Science. Link